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A total of 15 fledgling creative enterprises took another step towards success last night as winning graduates from 13 UK colleges received their Deutsche Bank Award for Creative Enterprises at the Royal College of Art.

The awards, now in their 21st year, cover many aspects of the creative arts including fine art, photography, fashion design and circus skills. Since their conception the awards have launched over 165 new enterprises and each year around 300 entrants are provided with training on how to produce a business plan as part of the application process.

At the event Henry Ritchotte, COO and Member of the Management Board said: “We’re delighted to congratulate our 2013 Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise winners. For 21 years these awards have recognised the importance of the creative economy by providing both financial and business support. Deutsche Bank has a long history and will continue to provide the next generation of entrepreneurs with the tools they need to drive growth and innovation.” The awards’ positive impact can be demonstrated as winners are 50 percent less likely to be unemployed in the years following their graduation compared to their peers.

The event, attended by over 150 people, featured performances by Bryan Moriarty and Sara Joyce of Whispering Beasts, winners of the award for Dramatic Arts as well as the winner for Dance Joseph Toonga as he choreographed his troupe Just Us Dance. Also in attendance was Alicja Dobrucka, the 2010 winner for photography who spoke about the positive impact that winning the award has had on her career. Attendees were also treated to an exhibition of award winners’ work.

A performance choreographed by award winner Joseph Toonga

The winners will receive start-up capital, business training, a Deutsche Bank business mentor and access to Deutsche Bank’s mentor networks to support their business launch or creative project.

The awards, one of the Corporate Citizenship UK’s flagship projects, are part of Born to Be, Deutsche Bank’s youth engagement programme. The programme aims to break the cycle of youth unemployment through early education led intervention; providing young people with the skills they need to reach their full potential.

To see a full list of the 2013 Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprises click here You can follow the Born to Be programme on Facebook or Twitter